It's a Team Thing
by Waiting For a Flame
Summary: A short collection of drabbles that I've otherwise published on Tumblr or on the Young Justice website I write for.
1. Zatanna and Traci

**A/N: I've written so many little drabbles, both on Tumblr and YoungJusticedottv , that I decided to finally compile them all into one large, mishmashed collection. Drabble requests are always welcome, you can either request them on my Tumblr (youngjusticeslut) or through YoungJusticedottv!**

Traci's heart had leapt up to her throat when Zatanna texted her that morning.

Upon joining the team, Bart had aptly described Traci as little better than a hot mess. She didn't take offense to it; not when it was true. More often than she liked, her emotions got the better of her and sent her powers a little haywire. Try as she might to reel them in, it wasn't easy. She studied every free second she had, but studying could only do so much.

What she really needed was a mentor. Zatanna would be ideal, of course. Traci wouldn't deny that she had the smallest bit of a crush on the older girl. It was more fangirl than anything; she and Cissie had bonded quite aptly over their love for Zatanna and Artemis. The trouble was, Traci had built Zatanna up so much in her head, she couldn't make herself speak in the woman's presence.

Bart and Jaime both found it hilarious; her, not so much.

Yet somehow, word had gotten to Zatanna, judging by her early morning text. Traci had been in the middle of her cereal when it came through, and the spit-take she'd done upon reading the text was almost comical.

Heard you're in the market for a mentor. Position still open? ;)

Traci's face was hurting from how hard she was smiling. Phone clutched in her hands, she wracked her brain for the best possible response. She couldn't be too desperate, or clingy. She had to be cool, like Zatanna.

_**Barely, haha! You have a lot of competition!**_

No, too dorky.

_**Who's asking? ;)**_

No, that was dumb.

_**Wide open. You interested? :)**_

Well, that was vaguely sexual. "Get it together," she muttered to herself, finally settling on a halfway decent response.

**Yes! You have no idea what this means to me.**

Traci clicked send before she could change it again, trying to calm the rapid thumping in her heart. This was actually happening. She couldn't even think of continuing her breakfast, not when Zatanna began typing a response back. It took a tremendous amount of self-control to keep from pressing her face to the screen.

_Let's meet for coffee. Ever been to Bibbo's? They have the best pie._

* * *

Needless to say, Traci was at a booth in Bibbo's long before their meeting time.

It was a bad idea, in hindsight. Traci just couldn't stop fidgeting from excitement; she was finally going to get to talk to Zatann! More than that, she might actually get to learn something from her. As much as she wanted a coffee, she knew the caffeine would only stimulate her further, so she kept it classy with a water.

On the way to Metropolis, Traci had concocted a little game plan. She'd play it cool and collected, and would listen intently to everything Zatanna had to say. If the woman asked her to jump, she was more than ready to say 'how high'. Then, when she had thoroughly impressed her with her passionate commitment, Zatanna would agree to be her mentor and boom! Best day ever.

"I hope that isn't all you're ordering. I was serious about the pie."

Traci jumped at the ever-familiar voice, knocking over her water as a result. She gasped, hands flying to her mouth as she saw Zatanna, realizing in horror that the water had soaked her dress. "I am so…" she choked, unable to finish the sentence.

Zatanna chuckled, waving her off. "No worries. Nothing a little magic won't fix," she purred. "Yrd em ffos," she said, and in moments it was like nothing had happened.

"I'm so sorry," Traci said as Zatanna sat down. "I'm such a dork."

"Aren't we all?" The older girl set aside her purse, crossing her legs underneath the table. "You can breathe, you know. I promise I'm not that intimidating."

"No, it's not that!" Traci sputtered, waving her hands around. "I'm just.. I really look up to you, is all. You're everything I want to be as a hero," she admitted, flushing as pink as the baseball hat she wore.

Zatanna tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling kindly. "I'm flattered. So, tell me about yourself. I want to learn all about you."

All about her? Traci couldn't believe she was hearing correctly; not once had she banked on talking about her. "Well, I… I'm Traci. Huge fan of Space Trek. Magical girl, but not the anime kind. Soccer enthusiast. That's pretty much me in a nutshell," she explained, trying to sound as normal as possible.

"_Quel charme_. I watch Space Trek, from time to time. It's nice to see what Garfield's up to."

Traci's eyes widened. "Wait, Garfield Logan? You know Garfield Logan?"

"Sure do." Zatanna laughed, light and airy like a tinkling wind chime. "He was part of the team, once upon a time."

"And I missed it?"

"Who's to say? Maybe one day he'll come back." Zatanna's purse began to vibrate, and she plucked her phone out, only to grin and shake her head. "Artemis always knows how to keep it interesting," she muttered, more to herself than anything. "Sorry about that. Anyway, let's talk business. You need a mentor, and I am more than happy to take you on. Sound like a plan?"

Traci grinned. "It's that easy? It can't be that easy."

"Well, it won't be easy once I get my hands on you," Zatanna warned. "It'll be hard work. But fun work, if you're up to it. We'll get those powers of yours under control in no time."

A squeal bubbled in Traci's throat, and she fought hard to keep it from coming out. "I'm up to it! More than up to it. I can't wait to learn everything you have to teach me."

Zatanna tossed her hair back before grabbing a menu. "Good. Now, down to serious matters: what pie should we get?"


	2. Bart and Jaime

Most days, he's able to avoid thinking about them. The family he'd left behind, his friends. They were safe now, or so he hoped. Bart knew he'd done the right thing in returning to the past, even if it meant that he'd never see them again. He had a new family now. His grandparents and mentors gave him everything he needed, and he had a boyfriend who loved him. Plus, not many people could say that they helped raise their future father and aunt.

Still. There were moments that it hit him. When Iris put the twins to sleep, he remembered his own parents. Did they think about him? What if he hadn't done enough to change the future?

These were the thoughts that kept him up late, unable to sleep. Once they started, it was hard to cease. Maybe he'd made things worse by coming back. One thought of the mission in the arctic left his stomach churning in guilt. He could still see him, clear as day. Artemis' cries still played in his head, as if she were right beside him and not just a distant memory.

His bedroom window jiggled open, breaking him from the painful memory. Bart couldn't quite conjure the grin necessary to greet his boyfriend as he hopped inside.

"_Buenas noches_," Jaime greeted, the Blue Beetle armor receding to reveal the familiar, kind brown eyes.

"How'd you know?" Bart muttered as Jaime sat by him.

The older boy shrugged and gave him a tender peck. "You were sending me Candy Crush notifications, dummy. Sane people don't do that at three in the morning."

Bart sighed. Right, he'd forgotten to remove Jaime from the list. "Bet the scarab hates me right about now."

"Believe it or not, he was actually the one who told me to come. _The Kid Flash is awake and needs assistance_," he mocked in an impersonation of the scarab on his back. Bart couldn't attest to the accuracy, he'd never heard it before.

His boyfriend cupped Bart's cheek with calloused fingers, worry evident on his face. "_Querido_, you need sleep."

"Don't '_Querido_' me. You know if I could sleep, I would."

"Fine, fine," Jaime sighed, letting go of Bart's face before making himself more comfortable on the bed. "I heard Bird Box is pretty good. Since we're not getting any sleep, might as well."

Though Bart wanted to be testy, he couldn't. Not when Jaime was like this. He gave in and cuddled against his boyfriend's side. "Bring on Sandy Bullock."


	3. The Team

"No, seriously, is anyone going to tell us what's going on?" Bart insisted, his voice reaching a near-whine. Kaldur sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose for a brief moment before straightening up.

"I am afraid that Batman has chosen to resign from the Justice League," he explained. Jaime's eyes went wide in his armor. Bart's jaw fell slack. Cassie and Virgil were still reeling from Tim and Jeff's departures. Traci, being the newest member, looked the most unsure of them all.

"You're kidding," Jaime finally said, breaking the silence.

"I wish I were," Kaldur affirmed. "Green Arrow, Hardware, Katana and Plastic Man all resigned as well."

"But not Lightning?" Virgil asked, raising a brow.

"Lightning left of his own will. He did not join Batman."

"Guess that explains the others," Traci noted, uncomfortably shifting from one foot to the other. "They all followed their mentors."

Cassie's mouth stretched into a hard line. This had been planned; Tim had known about this, and he hadn't even thought to clue her in. "Yeah, well who needs them? We don't need anybody keeping secrets on our team." The rest of her teammates either nodded or grumbled in approval. None of them caught the look exchanged between M'gann and Kaldur.

M'gann cleared her throat and stepped forward. "I know this is a lot to take in. But as a team, we have to respect everyone's decisions and proceed as normal."

"Normal?" Bart scoffed. "We're missing almost half our team!" He didn't buckle when M'gann shot him a look of warning. Instead he whirled around, facing Jaime. "This is fishy."

"What are you going to do about it, _Hermano_? Run over and drag them back?"

Bart pouted, crossing his arms. "Maybe."

"Right. Let me know how that works out. In the meantime, I'm getting dinner," Jaime waved off. "Traci, you hungry?"

The dark-haired girl shook her head. "I'm gonna skip this time, but I'll text you later." She watched Jaime and Bart leave the room before going over to Cassie, who was staring out into the stars. Traci rested a hand on her shoulder, cocking her head. "You wanna talk about it?"

"What's to talk about?" Cassie snapped. "He doesn't trust me."

"You don't know that."

"Don't I? He didn't tell me this was happening."

"Boys are dumb. You'll get it out of him later, right now, we've been up twenty hours and are in major need of a catnap," Traci urged. "It'll look better in the morning." She glanced over to Virgil, who seemed just as dejected as Cassie. "That goes for you too."

"I heard ya. I'm gonna head home," he said, sticking his hands in his pockets. What was he supposed to do without a mentor, now? Virgil couldn't deny the ache in his chest; he and Jeff were close. He'd used to brag to his family all about their cool missions and training sessions, and now… nothing.

"We should go too. Do you want to come to my place?" Traci offered. "Dad's making chili."

"No, I think I just want to be alone," Cassie muttered, shrugging Traci's hand off her shoulder. "Thanks, though. See you later?"

"Count on it."


	4. Will and Lian

Will had been looking forward to Halloween. Violet and Artemis had been out, so he'd taken the afternoon off work to surprise his daughter at daycare. At first he'd felt guilty, leaving all his guys there without his support. But the moment Lian's face lit up when she saw him enter the classroom, all guilt dissipated. She'd run over to him so fast, he could have sworn she might have been Wally's kid.

Artemis and Dick had thought it would be hilarious to gift Lian with a miniature version of her father's old costume. Needless to say, the three-year-old had been thrilled. Will was less than impressed, but if it made Lian happy then so be it. He'd taken her trick or treating early, knowing how fast she would tire out. Unsurprisingly, he had no memories of trick or treating; at least, none of his own. Lian more than made up for it. She'd started off shy, clutching his leg as he held out her pumpkin basket to collect her treats, gently reminding her to say please and thank you. Fifteen minutes later, she was bright and cheerful as could be, beaming widely and holding out her basket herself.

By eight, she was nodding on her feet, and despite her feeble protests he insisted it was time to call it a night. Will was quite proud that he'd managed to finally pin down a nighttime routine that sent her asleep before eight thirty. He'd definitely needed it after all the sleepless nights after Jade had left.

"Want more candy," Lian mumbled, her arms loosely wrapped around his neck.

"You got plenty, Lian. Enough for Daddy and you both," he teased, balancing her on one arm as he unlocked the front door with the other.

"Okay. I share," she said, rubbing her eyes with a sleepy fist. No sooner had they stepped inside did Brucely attack them with affection, eager to see what goodies they'd brought home. "No, bad doggie!" Lian insisted, lifting her head. "No chocolate for doggie. Right Daddy?"

"That's right. Dogs can't have chocolate," Will reminded with a bit of pride in his voice. He hadn't really thought she'd been listening when he explained it to her the first time. Will carried her over to the couch and set her down. Brucely hopped up after them, nearly toppling over Lian. "Can you keep an eye on Brucely while Daddy puts your candy away?"

Lian nodded, already cuddling up to the bigger dog. "I watch," she affirmed.

"Good," Will said, kissing her head before taking the pumpkin and carrying it to the kitchen. Tomorrow, when she was more awake, they'd have to negotiate on the correct amount of candy to be consumed per day. He'd start he off low, at one. She'd try three. They'd settle at two.

He got a bit carried away straightening out the kitchen, and by the time he returned to the couch, Lian had already begun to doze off against the white dog. Part of him wanted to take a picture, but he already had so many. Everyone would laugh at him if he sent them yet another. Instead he went to her side, gently shaking her awake. "Li," he whispered. "We gotta get your pajamas on. Can you stay awake for just two more minutes?"

Lian, ever the trooper, nodded and yawned. "Yeah," she sighed, sitting up. Will was about to pick her up when he noticed something purple in her arms. Upon closer look, his stomach clenched: a cheshire cat, from Alice in Wonderland. Jade had left it on Lian's bed for her third birthday. Lian must have forgotten it on the couch before they'd left. As he plucked her off the couch and into his arms, he wondered if she even remembered her mother.

"Daddy?"

"What is it, Li?"

"Wanna be a hero too. Like you," she mumbled, still half asleep. "And Mommy."

Will nodded, trying to keep from letting his emotions get the best of him. So she did remember her. "You will be."


	5. Jade

It wasn't often that Jade got a day off. At least, not with her new gig. More likely than not, they had something for her to do. Jade liked to keep busy, so she'd jump at the chances. Days off were for people that had families. Or things to do. Not for reckless assassins who'd left behind a sister, husband, daughter.

To Jade, a day off meant time alone, leaving ample opportunity to think. Hours where she had nothing else to do but pull out the few photos she had of her daughter and resist the urge to go see her. Evenings where she lay in bed, trying to picture what her husband was up to on the other side of the country.

She didn't like taking days off.

Still, today, all was quiet. With nothing better to do, Jade wandered down the streets of Metropolis in broad daylight, keeping her baseball cap low on her forehead. Of the five or so places where she had equipment caches, Metropolis was the only one in which she couldn't be found. Her family knew about the ones in DC, Gotham, Star, and Happy Harbor. Here, she could walk without fear that someone would track her down.

It was a busy day, people rushing to work, kids going to school. Jade did her best not to stare too hard as a mother jogged past her, pushing along a stroller. A flashing screen on a building told her that it was September 5th. Lian's birthday was coming up.

A hollow weight settled in Jade's chest; it would be the first birthday that she wouldn't be there for.

She thought that after six months, it would hurt less to be away from them. She didn't think she'd still be thinking of them throughout the day. Jade was fully aware that she was doing the right thing by staying away from them, but it didn't stop her from staring at a nearby toy store, wondering if her daughter even missed her.

Her feet moved of their own accord, ambling closer to the store. The display in the window boasted a variety of different toys. If Jade closed her eyes, she could play back a memory of her infant daughter, tossing around blocks and being happy with the littlest of things. She could picture Lian's smile now, wide and sweet, before throwing her arms around the nearest person.

Jade wouldn't be there for this birthday, or any other. But maybe she could still make her smile.

The door to the toy store opened with a chime of a bell. Before a salesperson could stalk her down, she ducked into a nearby aisle and looked for something, anything, that Lian might enjoy. From what she remembered, her daughter didn't too much care for most girly things, dolls especially. She preferred action figures. When Will had let that slip, it wasn't two days before every hero in the league had gifted her with an action figure of them. It was almost cheesy, how _good_ her daughter was turning out to be.

Then Jade remembered how viciously Lian would attack the figures with a plush octopus and cackle maniacally, and she'd think to herself that maybe she wasn't so good after all.

Jade paused by a clearance rack, hating herself for doing so. If she wanted to, she could buy every item in this store without making a dent in her bank account, so why was she here? Her eyes scanned the items in disdain before they rested on something soft and purple. She picked up the plush, turning it over.

A Cheshire cat. Jade wanted to toss the thing, but she kept turning it over in her hands. It would be an ironic present, but Lian would immediately recognize it. The thought of Lian cuddling it, sleeping with it at night… it would be the next best thing to having Jade home.

And for that reason alone, she bought it.


	6. Artemis, Will, Lian, Tara and Violet

"You can't be serious," Artemis groaned, shooting her brother-in-law a glare as she slumped against the kitchen table. It was a few days after Halloween, and their little brood had only grown bigger with Tara added to the mix. Seeing as both her and Violet were her responsibilities, she'd been tasked with taking them to the mall today.

Will remained unsympathetic to her groan, flipping a pancake on the griddle. "There's a maintenance problem at Lian's daycare, it'll be closed for the rest of the week."

"They can't have someone fix it?" Artemis muttered. "My hands are pretty full as it is."

"And mine aren't?" Will shot her a look from the stove. "I didn't say anything when you offered up the house for both Violet and Tara. In fact, I think I've been pretty accepting about the whole thing," he noted, taking a sip from his coffee. "I've already made arrangements for the rest of the week, I just need you to watch her today."

Artemis sighed, saying nothing. She knew he had a point; he had all the points, actually. Will had taken Violet and Tara in with minimal complaint, and there were plenty to be made. She knew him pretty well by this point, well enough to know that if she didn't start making things easier for him, sooner or later his generosity would reach a breaking point.

It wasn't that she didn't want to watch her niece. If it were any other day, she wouldn't have minded in the least, and would have jumped at the idea. But watching her in addition to Violet and Tara? It certainly wouldn't be easy.

"Say please."

"You're in no position to negotiate," Will said with a smirk, turning the stove off and resting the last pancake on a plate. "But I will bring home dinner."

"Close enough." She finally lifted her head from the table and helped him set up for breakfast. Any minute, the girls would all be awake, and the chaotic breakfast ritual could proceed as normal. "I'll take her to the mall with us."

"She'd like that. But whatever you do, do not let her near the toy store. Her puppy dog eyes have gotten better. I think she may be learning from Brucely." As if on cue, the dog barked, having finished his breakfast and wanting attention.

"Not the worst mentor to have, but point taken," Artemis chuckled, rubbing her dog's back.

* * *

"Can we get ice cream?" Lian asked, holding tight to Tara's hand. As the newest member of their household, she held all of the toddler's fascination.

"Yes, I would like ice cream as well," Violet added. "With sprinkles!"

"Yeah, sprinkles!" Lian cheered, swinging around her and Tara's hands in excitement. "Tara wants ice cream too, right Tara?"

Tara blinked, having to think it over for a moment before she smiled. It didn't quite reach her eyes. "Ice cream would be nice," she said, her voice soft.

Being the older, most mature of the group, Artemis should have said no. She should have said that they had ice cream at home, and it would spoil their appetites. After looking at Tara's expression, she faltered. When was the last time the girl had something so simple as ice cream? "One scoop," Artemis warned, shooting a look to both Violet and Lian.

"Two?" Lian pouted. "Pretty please?"

"One," Artemis repeated, ruffling her niece's hair. "Do you want Daddy to yell at me?"

The toddler shrugged, humming to herself as the thought. "Yes," she said after a few moments. "Daddy's yelling is funny." Artemis had to stop herself from laughing. It was on the tip of her tongue to say something along the lines of her being exactly like her mother, but she stopped herself in time. They were trying to mention Jade as little as possible around Lian.

As they neared the ice cream stall, Artemis paused, recognizing that a member was missing from their group. "Wait, where's Violet?"

"I dunno."

"Tara, did you see her? She was just here."

"No," Tara said, turning her head to look for her but shrugging when she didn't see her.

Artemis ran a hand down her face, trying to keep a headache from forming. "Right. Of course this would happen. Ice cream will have to wait, finding Violet is our priority."

They searched for the better part of an hour, trying to retrace their steps and figure out where the girl could have gone. Both Tara and Lian were growing tired of searching up and down, but there was nothing to do but keep going. Artemis knew that this day would be a challenge, but she never thought that she would have to worry about losing one of them. Finally, they entered the only store they hadn't yet been in. And lo and behold, there stood Violet, a mountain of dresses in her arms.

"Artemis!" she called out, waving her over. "I found so many nice clothes. There was a very nice one in the window and I wanted to see it and thought Brion would like it so I-"

The former archer held up a hand, trying her best to look stern. "I'm glad you found some nice things. But next time, you have to tell us before going anywhere. I was worried."

Violet's brow furrowed. "Oh," she said, as if she hadn't realized. "I am sorry."

"Can we get ice cream now?" Lian whined.

Tara cleared her throat, tugging Lian's hand. "I think I saw a toy store nearby. Why don't we go there while Artemis finishes with Violet?" she suggested. Artemis shot her a look of gratitude, knowing that would keep Lian entertained while she figured out a way to pay for Violet's clothes.

It was only once she was at the register did she falter, realizing that was exactly where Will instructed her not to take Lian. Artemis sucked in a breath, shaking her head. She just hoped that Tara didn't have any money on her.


	7. Will and Jade

A/N: Thank you SO much to everyone who pointed out the tech issues with this chapter. That's what I get for posting right before I leave work, huh?

* * *

**Sunday, November 28th **

4:05 AM

Jade squinted at the brightness on her phone, barely making out the numbers before tossing it to the side of the bed. The empty side. She'd barely gotten three hours of sleep, and now she was awake again.

She'd splurged on a nicer hotel room. No dusty motel with creaking floors, questionable sheets and walls that gave nothing more than an illusion of privacy; no, not this time. Jade's legs were entangled in the finest sheets Paris could offer, and the musky scent of potpourri lingered from the bathroom. She had a menu of French delicacies at her mercy, and every beauty product she would need, just waiting in the bathroom.

And yet. The bed was empty.

Jade kept her ears cocked, trained and waiting to see if he was awake. Sure enough, within moments she heard the faint clicking of a keyboard, followed by a few rough jabs on a mouse-pad. She furrowed her brow, trying to remember the last time he'd slept. Nothing came to mind.

She pushed herself off the bed, slowly catching her bearings. Outside of the blanket, the room was cold. Why hadn't he turned the heat on? Jade plucked a robe hanging from the door, slinking into it before exiting the bedroom. They'd arrived at the hotel a little past one, and he was still in the same spot she'd left him.

Jade's footsteps were light, but not inaudible. She had no desire to startle him tonight. If he noticed her presence, he didn't let on. Her arms snaked around his shoulders, lips starting to nibble at his neck. Without delay, his breath hitched; it always did.

"Not now, Jade."

A chuckle escaped her throat, low and amused. "He speaks." Roy had barely said ten words to her on the travel to the hotel. It was refreshing to hear his voice again.

"I'm not in the mood."

"A shame, really." She ignored his protests and trailed a fingernail down his shoulder. The muscles looked smaller than before. "Let's order dinner."

"It's past midnight."

"Four, actually. But who's counting?" Jade tilted her chin, pecking his ear. "Room service is twenty four hours a day."

Roy swerved his head away from her, shaking his head before continuing his rampant typing. She shouldn't have been surprised; lately, it was getting harder to pull him back to the land of the living. Harder, but not impossible.

Her fingers moved to his hair, stroking the shaggy locks. The gentleness of the action didn't escape her, nor him. His hair was dirty, but hers wasn't pristine either. Travel wasn't exactly kind to either of them.

"How about a break?" she asked, only once he'd stopped typing.

Roy's shoulder's sagged. "I can't. I have to find–"

"A short one," Jade cut in, pecking his cheek. "Thirty minutes, tops." If she could manage to pull him away, it would only be that much easier to make sure he ate, and maybe even slept.

Roy mulled it over before he finally nodded, closing the laptop shut. "A short one," he agreed, allowing Jade to pull him in the direction of the bathroom. She wasted no time in closing the door and turning the shower on, hot as it would go. His skin had been cold underneath her fingers, and it scared her.

When it was at a decent temperature, Jade peeled off the robe and climbed in, holding the shower door open so he could follow her. Luckily, it was spacious enough for the two of them. She went about her business, lathering her hair and giving him the space he needed to wash up.

"Some honeymoon, huh?" he asked, breaking the silence. Jade thought she'd imagined it, at first. She finished rinsing the suds out of her hair, taking a half-step closer to her husband.

"Best I've ever been on."

Roy snorted, and almost smiled. He rested a hand on her neck, caressing the wet hair on top of it. Jade did her best to keep from holding her breath. "Did you sleep?"

"I took a cat nap." He nodded, eyes never leaving her face. His other hand, however, started to find its way to her breast. "Hungry?" she purred, craning ever closer to him.

"A little. We could go out," he suggested. "Salvage what's left of this honeymoon."

"Pass." Jade grabbed his chin, pulling him in for the quick kiss. "The city of love never really did anything for me."

Later, when he was finally asleep, she'd run down to the bakery and grab a bag of warm croissants for breakfast. She'd buy fruit and coffee, and a newspaper so they could stay up to date on the happenings of the world. But the food would go untouched, the newspaper unread. She'd return to an empty bed, and the sound of the keyboard clicking on and on.


End file.
